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Criterion
Affinity Diagramming
UX Research
Affinity Diagramming
Paper illustration of two considered options leading to a decision record with a marked status and visible consequences.
Architecture
Architecture Decision Record
Paper illustration of two people facing each other, speech bubbles and an open interview notebook.
UX Research
User Interviews
Paper illustration for Opportunity Interview
Product Discovery
Opportunity Interview
Purposedifferent
When research notes, feedback, or observations sit unconnected side by side, affinity diagramming sorts the raw material into solid themes. Many individual points turn into patterns that make decisions and opportunities clearer.An ADR permanently records an architecture decision with context, trade-offs, and consequence. It creates continuity for later changes because the decision path stays traceable.When teams derive needs only from assumptions and real motives are missing, user interviews give direct access to behavior and meaning. Conversations from the target group's everyday life make patterns, tensions, and open questions solidly visible.When opportunities are still hidden behind signals of need, it structures conversations around needs and obstacles. It looks for patterns that lead to new product opportunities.
Complexitydifferent
LowLowLowMedium
Timedifferent
45–90 min15-45 min30–60 min per interview30-60 min je Interview
Participantsdifferent
3-101-31 participant per interview5-12 Interviews
Formatdifferent
WorkshopAsyncWorkshop + asyncWorkshop + async
Outputdifferent
Theme clusters, Insight statements, Opportunity areasADR File, Decision Log, RationaleInterview Notes, Themes, Insight SummaryInterview Notes, Opportunity Themes, Customer Quotes
Tagsno overlap
SynthesisQualitativeRoot cause
ArchitectureRationaleDocumentationGovernance
QualitativeResearchCustomerDiscovery
DiscoveryInterviewsOpportunityCustomer
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